Electrical controller



4NOV. 24, 1936. C, W, WYMAN 2,061,887

ELECTRICAL CONTROLLER Original Filed June 30, 1953 u a, In l MH UNITED@FICE ELECTRICAL CONTRGLLER Charies lW. lillyman, lareinont, N. H.,assigner to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of MassachusettsApplication .lune 30, 1933, Serial No. 678,436 Renewed @ctober 3, 193420 @Claims My invention relates to electrical controllers, and moreparticularly to electrical controllers having incorporated thereinprotective devices for preventing the burning ci the contacts thereof.

An object of this invention is to provide an in proved electricalcontroller. Another object of my invention is to provide improvedelectrical controlling apparatus having improved means for preventingthe burning of the contacts. Still anlo other object oi my invention isto provide an improvedv electrical controlling apparatus providing forthe cutting out of resistance in steps but having associated therewithmeans operative automatically to prevent the burning of the contacts 15of the resistance controller and to localize all arcing at a deviceparticularly designed to withstand the arcing and to extinguish the arc.Cther objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing, in which, for purposes of illustration,have shown one form Whi 3h invention may assume in practice.

Fig. l is a View from above, with the cover and other parts removed, oia controller in which the illustrative embodiment of my invention isincorporated.

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a portion of the automatic controllingapparatus, the View being tali-en from a position approximately aboveFig. l.

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views, showing the parts in a differentposition.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of a portion of the mechanism shown inFigs. 2, 3 and Fig. 6 is a Wiring diagram, simplified, and showing asmaller number of buttons than as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 'l is a detail view of a Contact carrying member.

Referring to the drawing, l denotes a part of a controller box orcasing, herein a plate, upon which there is mounted a plurality ofcontact devices, herein contact buttons, rd, 5, "i, t and 9, thecontacts and 3 being dead contacts, and contacts 4 to 9, inclusive, eachhaving connected between them a stage of starting resistance. There isalso mounted upon the plate i a series of buttons Il), suitablyconnectedy through blow-out coils Il with the contactor buttons i to 9inclusive, and adapted to protect the main contactor buttons fromarcing, by coaction with a roller i2 which is supported by thecontroller arm i3 in adjacency to the main moving contact member lli.

Still further to protect the controller box from the detrimental eiectsoi arcing, have provided 55 .means for automatically breaking thecircuit at Cil (Cl. R01-48) a point outside the controller box wheneverthe controller arm is moved toward oli position.

Referring now to the wiring diagram, the con troller arm is indicated atI3, the resistance controlled by the starting box at l; the motor to becontrolled has its armature represented at A, its series eld at SeF, andits shunt field at ShF. The supply lines are indicated at lil and li,and at i8 is indicated a main circuit breaking contactor having acontrolling coil l@ and a pilot 10 switch u whose construction I shallshortly de scribe in detail.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the pilotswitch mechanism, which is generally designated 2t, is supported upon abloei: 15 2l secured to the plate i of the controller. This blockprovides, upon its upper side, a surface E2 upon which, through a pin acontact carrying arm member 2d is oscillatably supported. The arm Ell isslotted', as at 25, and is provided in its 20 lower side with a recess26 within which a spring 2li is housed. The spring 2l is so related tothe recess and to the pin 23 that the contact carrying arm 2li is alwaysyieldingly but firmly pressed toward the main controller arm lil. Theend oi the arm 2i toward the controller arm is formed on an arc struckfrom the axis of the pin Q3, and is adapted to cooperate with acylindrical surface ill formed upon a portion of the controller arm I3;the yielding pressure of the arm 2d, pressed 30 by the spring 2l,against the surface 29 causing the contact carrying block 2t to beswung, when free to move, in an opposite direction to the direction ofrotation of the main controller arm i3 as the latter is moved about itspivot. A stop pin 223 on the block 2! and arranged in the path or"movement of the arm Eil, prevents the arm 2!! from swinging out too far,thereby always maintaining the arm 2li in frictional Contact with thesurface 29 on the controller arm. The block 24 40 carries a yieldablymounted contact member tu which is adapted to cooperate with astationary contact il carried upon an upstanding support 32 secured tothe block 2 l. The contact members 3G and 3i, when closed, are adaptedto energize, 45 through suitable connections. the operating coil i9 ofthe contacter i3, and when separated, to eect deenergization of the coili9.

Pivoted upon a horizontal pin 34 upon an upstanding wall of the block2l, s a latch member 50 and a spring 3G is positioned within a recess 3iin the latch member and normally tends to raise the free end of thelatch member. This latch member 35 has an upstanding portion 38 which isadapted, in the pri position of the contact carrying member 24, to moveinto a position which will prevent the movement of the contact member 24to a position in which the contact 30 can engage the contact 3i. rThecontroller member I3 carries upon its lower surface a strip of suitablematerial 3S providing a camming surface which is adapted to engage abeveled or curved upper camming surface 40 formed at one end of themern'er 35. As the controller arm I3 reaches off position, it will benoted that its position relative to the member 35 is then such that thelatter is approximately tangential to a circle concentric with the axisof rotation of the controller arm I3, at a point in such circle where aradial line extending along the arm I3 cuts the circle, so that when thecontroller arm is in off position the strip 39 overlies and holdsdepressed the outer or free end of the latch member 35.

It will be evident that, if desired, the pilot and main contactors couldbe replaced by a main contacter suitably actuated and controlledsimilarly to the pilot.

With the description given, the mode of operation of this apparatus willbe readily understood. Referring to Fig. l, it will be noted that thecontroller i3 in "o`ff position; and referring to Fig. 2 it will beapparent that in the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1 the outer orfree end of the latch member 35 is depressed, as above indicated, andthe projection 38 is held in a position such that it cannot interferewith arcuate movement of the contact carrying member 24. Upon startingof movement of the controller arm I3 toward its position in which itfirst connects the motor through the full resistance, to the line, thearcuate surface 29 heretofore referred to, by frictional engagement withthe arcuate end of the contact carrying member 24, will move the contactcarrying member 24 to bring the contact 30 into engagement with thecontact 3I. This will immediately energize the coil IS and close thecontactor i8. During further movement toward the full on position of thecontroller arm I3, the frictionai reaction of the surface 29 upon theend Contact carrying member 24 will simply tend to press the contacts 30and 3I yieldingly together. The contactor I8 is closed before the firstlive button 4 is reached by the member I4.

As soon as the contact carrying arm I3 is moved sufficiently far toeffect the connection of the motor, through the resistance, with theline, the strip 33 will run off the full Width portion of the latchmember 35. Thereupon the spring 36 would be effective to move the latchmember upwardly and bring the projection 39 into the position shown inFig. 4, were it not for the fact that the projection is confined in itslower position by engagement with the lower surface of the member 24,which was moved over it when switch member 30 was moved to closedposition. Let the operator, however, attempt to move the controller armI3 toward off position, and the friotional engagement of the surface 29with the arcuate end of the contact carrying member 24 will immediatelythrow the contact 3i! into open position, thereby causing contacts I 8to open, and simultaneously, due to the movement of the member 24 tosuch a position that this is possible, the latch portion 38 will springup into the path of arcuate movement of the member 24 and preventclosure again of the contact 3] in the event of a resumed forwarddirection of movement of the controller arm. To be able again to closethe pilot switch it will be necessary to move the arm I3 back to depressthe tongue and thereafter reversal of movement of arm I3 will beeffective to drag the arm 24 over the depressed latch portion 38 andreclose the pilot. Obviously any reverse movement of lever I3 in aneffort to shut off the current will result in opening the pilot switch,and so shut off the main line contactor, and thus prevent burning of thebuttons 4 to 9 inclusive.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that I have provided avery simple but effective arrangement for protecting a startingrheostat-one in which the burning of rheostat contacts is prevented; andthat a most inexpensive type of pilot mechanism, having a positive lockfor holding it in open position when necessary, is associated in a mostdesirable manner with the operating mechanism of the rheostat.

While I have in this application specifically described. one form whichmy invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration, a

and that the invention may be further modified and embodied in variousother forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an electric controlling apparatus, a controller arm, a pilotswitch, means movable to close said pilot switch on movement of saidcontroller arm in a circuit-establishing direction, and means operativeon reverse movement of said arm to open and lock in open position saidpilot switch, said locking means including a latch occupying oneposition when effecting its holding function and a different position toeffect release and held out of said first mentioned position wheneversaid pilot switch is closed.

2. In an electric controlling apparatus, a controller arm, a switch,means movable to close said switch on movement of said controller arm ina circuit-establishing direction, and means operative on reversemovement of said arm to open and lock in open position said switch, saidlockin@T means including a latch occupying one position when effectingits holding function and a different position to effect release and heldout of said first mentioned position whenever said switch is closed, bysaid movable switch-closing means.

3. In an electric controlling apparatus, resistance controlling meansincluding a controller arm, a main circuit breaking contactor,controlling means for the latter including a pilot switch, means movingwith said controller arm from off position for moving said pilot switchto closed position, and latch means releasable only by movement of saidarm in the reverse direction and released when said arm is in full offposition, for locking said pilot switch in open position when opened.

4. In an electric controlling apparatus, resistance controlling meansincluding a controller arm, a main circuit breaking contactor,controlling means for the latter including a pilot switch, means movingwith said controller arm for moving said pilot switch to closedposition, and latch means releasable only by movement of said arm to itsextreme position in the reverse direction, for locking said pilot switchin open position when opened, while said controller arm is in a circuitestablishing position.

5. In an electric controlling apparatus, resistance controlling meansincluding a controller arm, a main circuit breaking contactor,controlling means for the latter including a pilot switch,

means moving with said controller arm for moving said pilot switch toclosed position, and latch means held in releasing position when saidpilot switch is closed, and, when operated, releasable only by movementof said arm to its extreme position in the reverse direction, forlocking said pilot switch in open position when opened.

6. In an electric controller, a resistance controlling means including acontroller arm, a main contactor, an operating circuit for the latterincluding a pilot switch, a pilot switch controlling latch precludingclosing movement thereof except during the initial portions of themovements of said controller arm from off to on position, pilot closingmeans including a part movable to effect pilot closure and a cooperatingpart moving with said arm and providing, when said arm moves inhorizontal planes, a vertical wiping surface engaging said lrstmentioned part and constituting moving means therefor, and latchcontrolling means including a wiping surface moving with said arm andextending horizontally when said arm moves in horizontal planes and aportion whose movements control latch position engaged and controlled bysaid horizontal Wiping surface.

7. In an electric controller, resistance controlling means including apivoted controller arm, a switch lever pivotable about an axis parallelto the pivot of said controller arm, frictionally engaged surfacesassociated with said arm and switch lever respectively whereby movementsof said arm effect movements of said switch lever, and latch meansgoverned by said arm only during the portions of movement of the latterwhen no circuit establishing connections are made thereby, said latchmeans moved to releasing position as said arm approaches full offposition and held in such position until material reverse movement ofsaid arm takes place.

8. In an electric controller, resistance controlling means including apivoted controller arm, a switch lever pivotable about an axis parallelto the pivot of said controller arm, frictionally engaged surfacesassociated with said arm and switch lever respectively whereby movementsof said arm effect movements of said switch lever whenever the latter isfree to move and thereafter slipping takes place, and latch meansgoverned by said arm only during the portions of movement of the latterwhen no circuit establishing connections are made thereby, and releasedfrom control prior to the establishment of any circuit by the latter,and rendered inoperative again when, but only when, said arm is again incircuit interrupting position.

9. In an electric controller, resistance controlling means including apivoted controller arm, a switch lever pivotable about an axis parallelto the pivot of said controller arm, frictionally engaged surfacesassociated with said arm and switch lever respectively whereby movementsof said arm effect movements of said switch lever, and latch meansgoverned by said arm only during the portions of movement of the latterwhen no circuit establishing connections are made thereby, and releasedfrom control by said arm prior to the establishment of any circuit bythe latter, and rendered inoperative again by said arm when, but onlywhen, said arm is again in circuit interrupting position, said latchmeans underlying said switch lever and held immovable by the latter incertain positions thereof.

10.1n an electric controller, resistance controlling means including apivoted controller arm, a switch lever pivotable about an axis parallelto the pivot of said controller arm, frictionally engaged surfacesassociated with said arm and switch lever respectively whereby movementsof said arm effect movements of said switch lever, and latch meansgoverned by said arm only during the portions of movement of the latterwhen no circuit establishing connections are made thereby, and releasedfrom control by said arm prior to the establishment of any circuit bythe latter, and rendered inoperative again only when said arm is againin circuit interrupting position, said latch means underlying saidswitch lever and Iheld inoperative by the latter, when the latter is inclosed circuit position but movable to hold said switch lever when thelatter is in open circuit position.

ll. In an electric controlling apparatus, resistance introducing andeliminating means, a switch, means operative to effect closure of saidswitch on operation of said irst-mentioned means to establish a circuitincluding resistance, and means operative on operation of said rstmentioned means to reintroduce resistance once eliminated thereby, toopen and lock in open position said switch, said locking means includinga catch maintained in retracted position when said switch is in closedposition.

l2. In an electric controller, resistance controlling means including apivoted controller arm, a switch lever, irictionally engaged surfacesassociated with said arm and switch lever respectively whereby movementsof said arm effect movements of said switch lever, and latch meansgoverned by said arm only during the portions oi movement of the latterwhen no circuit establishing connections are made thereby for unlatchingsaid latch means when said arm is in full oit position.

13. In an electric controller, resistance controlling means including apivoted controller arm, a switch lever, frictionally engaged surfacesassociated with said arm and switch lever respectively whereby movementsof said arm effect movements of said switch lever, and latch meansgoverned by said arm only during the portions of movement of the latterwhen no circuit establishing connections are made thereby, and releasedfrom control prior to` the establishment of any circuit by the latter,and rendered inoperative again by said arm when, but only when, said armis again in circuit interrupting position.

14. In an electric controller, resistance controlling means including apivoted controller arm, a switch lever, frictionally engaged surfacesassociated with said arm and switch respectively whereby movements ofsaid arm effect movements of said switch, and latch means governed bysaid arm only during the portions of movement of the latter when nocircuit establishing connections are made thereby, and released fromcontrol by said arm prior to the establishment of any circuit by thelatter, and rendered inoperative again only when said arm is again incircuit interrupting position, said latch means underlying said switchlever and governed by the lower surface of the latter.

15. In an electric controller, resistance controlling means including apivoted controller arm, a switch lever, frictionally engaged surfacesassociated with said arm and switch lever respectively whereby movementsof said arm eifect movements of said switch lever, and latch meansgoverned by said arm only during the portions of movement of the latterwhen no circuit establishing connections are made thereby, and releasedfrom control prior to the establishment cf any circuit by the latter,and rendered inoperative again by said arm only when said arm is againin circuit interrupting position, said latch means underlying saidswitch lever and held inoperative thereby, when the latter is in closedcircuit position but movable to hold said switch lever when said arm isin open circuit position.

1G. In an electric controller, resistance controlling means including amovable element whose position alters with the variation in effectiveresistance, a switch element, frictionally engaged surfaces associatedwith said elements respectively whereby movement of the inst-mentionedelement effects movement of the second when the latter is free to move,and latch means governed by movement of the inst-mentioned element butonly during the portions of movement of the latter when nocircuit-establishing connections are made thereby, and released fromcontrol prior to the introduction of any resistance by said resistancecontrolling means and rendered inoperative again only when saidresistance controlling means is in open circuit position.

17. In an electric controlling apparatus, a controller element, a switchel. nent, means operative to close said switch element on movement ofsaid controller element in circuit-establishing direction, and meansincluding a latch held in open position during such movement of saidcontroller element and operative on reverse movement of said controllerelement to move said switch element to open circuit position andpreclude further control thereof by d controller element until thelatter been brought back to open circuit position.

18. In an electric controlling apparatus, a controller element, a switchelement, means operative to close said switch element upon movement ofsaid controller element in circuit-establishing direction and to opensaid switch element upon opposite movement or" said controller element,and means operative to preclude reclosure of said switch until saidcontroller element is returned to its full off position including latchmeans opened by said controller element and held open by said switchelement during normal current supply through said apparatus.

i9. In an electric controller, resistance controlling means including apivoted controller arm, a switch lever, frictionally engaged surfacesassociated with said arm and switch lever respectively whereby movementsof said arm effect movements of said switch lever, and latch meansgoverned by said arm only during the portions of movement of the latterwhen no circuit establishing connections are made thereby, and betweenthe establishment of a circuit by said arm and reverse movement of thelatter governed by said switch lever, and released from control by saidarm prior the establishment of any circuit by the latter, and renderedinoperative again by said arm only when said arm is again in circuitinterrupting position, said latch means underlying said switch lever andgoverned by the lower surface of the latter.

20.111 an electric controller of the type in which provision is made forestablishing a circuit through a resistance and then cutting out theresistance, resistance controlling means including a swingablecontroller arm, a switch closable to effect current supply through theresistance, coacting surfaces, one movable upon swinging movement ofsaid arm and the other movable by said first-mentioned surface, forclosing and opening said switch by movements or" said arm, a latch forcontrolling switch movements operative to preclude closing of the switchexcept in positions of said arm in which no resistance has been cut out,and coacting camming surfaces one movable upon movement of said arm andone movable with said latch for controlling the latter, one of said setsor" coacting surfaces having its elements extending generally radiallyof the axis of arm swing and the other set having its elements extendinggenerally longitudinally of such axis.

CHARLES W. WYMAN.

CERTEFICATE OF CORBECTON.

Patent No. 2,061,887., November 24, 1936.

CHARLES W. WYMAN.

it is hereby oeriified that error appears in Jshe printed specificationof the above numbere` patent requiring correo-Lion as follows: Page 3,second Column, lines 57 emi 59, claim 14, after "switch" insertJ theword lever; and line 65, before "onljg insertthe Words by said arm; page4, first oflumn, line 9,. claim l5, after "position inseri. a. comme;and that the said Let'bers Patent Shculd. be read. with thesecorrections therein that, the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed utshis 8th day of June, A. D. 1957.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Gommissioner of Patents.

cERTiriCATE or coRRECrloNe Patent No. aceras?. November 24, 193e.

CHARLES w. WYMAN.

t is hereby certified that error appears n the printed specification of'the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page T5,vsecond column, lines 57 and 59, claim 14, after "switch" insert the wordlever; and line 65, before "only" insert the Words by said arm; page 4,first celumn, line 9, claim l5, after "position insert a comma; and thatthe said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections thereinthat the same may conform to the record o1 the oase in the PatentOffice.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of June, A. D. 1937.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

